David Miscavige was a 9-year-old boy at the time, his father said, and after David finished his first “auditing,” a kind of Scientology counseling session, Ron Miscavige said he saw something change in him.

For the first time ever, Ron Miscavige opened up about his experience as a former member of the Church of Scientology and his son David Miscavige in an exclusive interview with ABC News’ Dan Harris for a special edition of ABC News’ “20/20” to air this Friday at 10 p.m. ET. Ron Miscavige also talked about his new memoir, “Ruthless: Scientology, My Son David Miscavige, and Me,” out on May 3.

Although he used the word “Ruthless” to describe his son David in the title of his book, Ron Miscavige said, “He wasn’t always that way.”

“When he was a kid, I am telling you, he was a lovable kid,” he said.

In his interview with “20/20,” Ron Miscavige recalled the day in 1960 when the nurses brought his son David, his second child, out of the delivery room.

“He was kind of smiling with a bit of a scrunched-up face,” Miscavige said. “And I looked at him, I says, ‘Ah,’ you know, ‘This is your old man,’ you know, Gave him a kiss.”

The family lived in Willingboro, New Jersey at the time, where Miscavige and his then-wife Loretta raised their four kids -- the oldest Ron, Jr., David, Denise and the youngest, Lori. Ron Miscavige said David was a happy child but the “bane of his life” was dealing with asthma.

“He would get severe attacks,” he said.

David was an “excellent” student, Miscavige said, but he started getting into fistfights when he was a first grader.

“He enjoyed having a fight,” he said. “And I’m sure he instigated it… he’s a tough kid. I mean, for his size, he’s like a stick of dynamite.”

Miscavige also said that his son had a tendency to put others down.

“He would come home and start complaining about somebody and I would say, ‘Hey, come on, you’re like Little Bad News, what the hell is this?’ … and then he would knock it off,” Miscavige said.

Ron Miscavige said the family’s home life wasn’t the easiest and he admitted that he hit his then-wife and their kids.

“Marriage-wise, we didn’t have a great marriage at all,” he said. “We had strife, and there was some domestic abuse, which I don’t feel good about, and I don’t think you can make excuses for that, no matter what, or how much time goes by.”

The Church of Scientology told “20/20” that Ron Miscavige’s acts of domestic abuse are much more serious and frequent than he admits. The Church said Miscavige’s memoir is filled with lies and granted “20/20” a rare interview with Church lawyer Monique Yingling, who called the book “a literary forgery.”

“And the title of the book, ‘Ruthless,’ I mean, it couldn’t be a falser description of David Miscavige,” Yingling told “20/20.” “He’s a very compassionate, kind person.”

David Miscavige declined repeated requests from ABC News to comment on this story, but Yingling told “20/20” that, “On a personal level, I think he [David] is probably very, very sad that his father would do this.”

“There seems to be no explanation except that his father is trying to make a buck off his name,” she continued. “So I think there’s that level of sadness and I’m sure a sense of betrayal.”

Miscavige’s daughters declined to sit down for an interview with “20/20,” but through an attorney told “20/20” in a statement that they have cut off all ties from their father. They claim he was more violent with their mother and them than he admits, accusing him of striking them with his fists and his belt and saying, “Our father beat our mother senseless in drunken tirades, averaging two violent attacks with his fists per week.”

Ron Miscavige denies those claims. “That is a flat-out lie,” he said.

Ron Miscavige, a musician and a salesman, said he first heard about the Church of Scientology, a religion founded by the late science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, in 1968 at a business meeting. After he started looking into it, he said he found someone teaching Scientology in New Jersey and started attending meetings regularly.

Miscavige said Scientology resonated with him at the time and he began paying for “auditing” sessions, a sort of counseling that uses a Scientology device called an E-Meter. The process promises to release negative emotions and Ron Miscavige thought it was life-changing.

“I didn’t know what I was looking for, but I knew I was looking for something,” Miscavige said. “When I got into Scientology, I felt that I had found what I was looking for, which did have a lot of answers … on a basic life.”

Miscavige said he took his son David to his first auditing session in 1969, and afterwards, he said his son seemed elated and his asthma attacks lessened “considerably.”

When asked if he thought his son's asthma was linked to a psychological component, Miscavige said, “Of course, that’s what the auditing handled, the actual psychological phenomena of it.”

“I think it was at that moment that he [David] decided he’s going to do something with this,” he added.

According to Ron Miscavige, the whole family began studying Scientology, with David setting himself up as somewhat of a prodigy by the time he was a teenager. With his family’s consent, David left home at age 16 to join the clergy of the Church, known as the “Sea Organization” or “Sea Org.”

“He advanced very rapidly in the Church,” Miscavige said. “He really decided at a very young age to make it his career and his mission.”

Watch the full exclusive interview with Ron Miscavige on ABC News' "20/20" THIS FRIDAY, April 29 at 10 p.m. ET

EXCLUSIVE: 'It was like a scene out of Tom Cruise’s Mission Impossible.' How estranged father of Scientology leader David Miscavige escaped from the Church is revealed in the memoir his son is trying to BAN

Ron Miscavige, 80, left Scientology in 2012 after 41 years

Marine veteran will reveal details of why he left Scientology, its inner workings and the role of his son David Miscavige in book 'Ruthless'

The UK and US publishers of the book have received a letter from David Miscavige's legal team threatening to sue his father

Allegations include that David Miscavige lives in lavish conditions while Church staff live in poor conditions and his management style is erratic and abusive

Ron and his wife Becky, who is 21 years younger than him, were broke and now live in a tiny single-story brick home in Milwaukee suburb

David Miscavige, the Scientology leader who was Tom Cruise’s best man at two of his weddings, is engaged in a new war with his own father over a new book, Daily Mail Online has learned exclusively.

Ron Miscavige's highly anticipated memoir, Ruthless: Scientology, My Son David Miscavige, and Me, will hit stores next week and is expected to tell of his regret for creating the unyielding man who has ruled Scientology with an iron fist for three decades.

Marine veteran Miscavige, 80, is expected to reveal details of Scientology’s inner workings and how his son changed from a delightful child to a 'ruthless' leader in the book.

And the battle against Ron Miscavige and the book - by his own son - has already begun.

Tony Ortega,who runs the ant-Scientology website The Underground Bunker has obtained a copy of a letter from the Church of Scientology demanding that that the book not be published by Silvertail Books in Great Britain.

EXCLUSIVE: 'It was like a scene out of Tom Cruise’s Mission Impossible.' How estranged father of Scientology leader David Miscavige escaped from the Church is revealed in the memoir his son is trying to BAN

* Ron Miscavige, 80, left Scientology in 2012 after 41 years

* Marine veteran will reveal details of why he left Scientology, its inner workings and the role of his son David Miscavige in book 'Ruthless'

* The UK and US publishers of the book have received a letter from David Miscavige's legal team threatening to sue his father

This is an excerpt of the vacuous legal threat letter sent to the UK publisher of Ron Miscavige’s book, Ruthless. Tony Ortega published the letter on his blog today. It also mentions letters sent to the US publishers (which have not yet been made public). No doubt the assault from high-paid lawyers aimed at the US publishers has been even more concerted than this limp Johnsons effort. Hopefully those letters, and the ones inevitably sent to ABC, will all be made available at some point to document once again the emptiness of their threats.

But two particular sentences caught my eye among the other guff and shots in the dark contained in the letter.

This book represents the malicious fabrications of a disaffected former member of the Church who has had no meaningful relationship with our client since our client left home at age sixteen to pursue his life in the Church. Indeed, quite apart from the fundamental inaccuracies and inconsistencies in the book, it can be established as a matter of factual record that the author was not, and could not have been, present at many of the events of which he claims to have first-hand knowledge.

What sleaze. Miscavige is like a stranded octopus trying to escape the spotlight. No drain is too small to try to squeeze through, no matter how implausible or inappropriate it may be. David Miscavige had no relationship with his father since he joined the Sea Org. And he wasn’t present at many of the events of which he claims to have first hand knowledge. Really? Like being followed by PI’s? Or working in Studio 1 50 feet from the Hole. Or not seeing Shelly (I guess he was nor present to not see her… or something). Is that why Dave offered Ron up as a character witness and source of information for the St Pete Times when they did their 1998 profile “The Man Behind Scientology” (I also note that the two other people Joe Childs and Tom Tobin were allowed to interview at the Int Base for that story were Marty Rathbun and me)… And is that why he fronted the band that played at almost every event you attended?

So, these are typical “big lies.”

Yet there is something else that is especially jarring about that first sentence. If you think about it, this is not just absurd, it is perhaps the most damning of statements he could possibly make. David Miscavige credits his choice to “pursue his life in the church” as “proof” that he had “no meaningful relationship” with his father. He actually asserts that being in the Sea Org destroys familial relationships. This is the “ecclesiastical leader of the scientology religion” speaking. Flatly stating that pursuing a life in the church destroyed any relationship with his father. Not what the church proclaims loudly and often “we put families together.”

And his statements is made even more astonishing in light of the fact that his father was ALSO IN THE SEA ORG and lived at the same Sea Org facility as his son. The vast majority of fathers do NOT live in the same “communal living facilities” as their sons. David Miscavige did. And even then, he STILL claims he had no meaningful relationship with his father.

a disaffected former member of the Church who has had no meaningful relationship with our client since our client left home at age sixteen to pursue his life in the Church.

Rinder's insight:

[David Miscavige] asserts that being in the Sea Org destroys familial relationships [...] Flatly stating that pursuing a life in the church destroyed any relationship with his father [who] was ALSO IN THE SEA ORG and lived at the same Sea Org facility as his son.

An exposé about internal Scientology leadership struggles between founder L. Ron Hubbard and current leader David Miscavige is at the center of a controversy. The book alleged poor living conditions and violence at the organization’s headquarters in California.

The book, entitled ‘Ruthless: Scientology, My Son David Miscavige, and Me’, was written by Ron Miscavige. Among the allegations in the book is that David “seized power” from Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.

Elsewhere in the purported disclosure, the author accuses his son of of “outmaneuvering rivals,” keeping “appalling conditions” at the headquarters in Hemet, California as well as detailing how church members are subjected to “deprivation and violence” while detained in a prison-like confinement center known as “the Hole,” according to the Hollywood Reporter.

David Miscavige’s father also alleges that his son hired a private detective to trail him. The book is due for release in the UK on May 3.

Hey IRS, here is the son of the leader of Scientology telling you that his Dad had him followed by PI's with "church" money, talks about The Hole, escaping and more.
So hows that tax exemption thingy going?
Per your own laws that would make this "church" not eligible for tax exemption, CORRECT?
Anyone sending them a copy?

So not to be off topic...... BUT...... Ole Wavy Davy of the Scieno Scientolo Navy is saying he is going to BUTT FRACKER his Daddy over his new... or should I say KNEW BOOK about his crime=ster son... and the Scienos.... and TOP CUNNY KUNSTER BUTT HOLE CRUZing Surfer is moving to Saint HILLTURDS in ING..lund.... I always wondered what it was like for the Top KUNTSTER to always have Ole Wavy Davy's Schlong stuck in his mouth

Repost from the Big List thread:
EDITEDWe hit 2700 names! (THANKS TO TREV Anon)
this seriously needs to be tweeted and maybe coupled with Ron Miscavige's 20/20 interview and his book.
It's WAY past the time where this list should have been used as proof that a LOT more members are speaking out and as evidence to take their tax exemption away.
It has videos, interviews, articles, court cases, personal stories and more. What more does the IRS want?CONGRATULATIONS TO RON MISCAVIGE FOR BEING THE 2700TH NAME TO BE ADDED ON TO THE LIST!

[Silvertail Books publisher Humfrey] Hunter, however, told the Guardian that he was still planning to publish Miscavige’s memoir, which he called “very strong”. “We’re definitely going ahead – there’s no question,” he said. “I’m very confident that if they were to sue, we would be able to successfully defend the book and its content.”

Hunter has published books about Scientology before, including John Sweeney’s The Church of Fear: Inside the Weird World of Scientology. He said that he was also contacted by lawyers warning him off publishing Sweeney’s title, but he went ahead and was not sued.

“I’ve done a few Scientology books before and I’m always on the lookout for more. They sell pretty well, and no one else in the UK will publish them, I assume because of legal [issues],” he said. “So despite being a tiny publisher, I get a clear run at them, and I’m thrilled to have [Ruthless].”

This is an excerpt of the vacuous legal threat letter sent to the UK publisher of Ron Miscavige’s book, Ruthless. Tony Ortega published the letter on his blog today. It also mentions letters sent to the US publishers (which have not yet been made public). No doubt the assault from high-paid lawyers aimed at the US publishers has been even more concerted than this limp Johnsons effort. Hopefully those letters, and the ones inevitably sent to ABC, will all be made available at some point to document once again the emptiness of their threats.

But two particular sentences caught my eye among the other guff and shots in the dark contained in the letter.

This book represents the malicious fabrications of a disaffected former member of the Church who has had no meaningful relationship with our client since our client left home at age sixteen to pursue his life in the Church. Indeed, quite apart from the fundamental inaccuracies and inconsistencies in the book, it can be established as a matter of factual record that the author was not, and could not have been, present at many of the events of which he claims to have first-hand knowledge.

What sleaze. Miscavige is like a stranded octopus trying to escape the spotlight. No drain is too small to try to squeeze through, no matter how implausible or inappropriate it may be. David Miscavige had no relationship with his father since he joined the Sea Org. And he wasn’t present at many of the events of which he claims to have first hand knowledge. Really? Like being followed by PI’s? Or working in Studio 1 50 feet from the Hole. Or not seeing Shelly (I guess he was nor present to not see her… or something). Is that why Dave offered Ron up as a character witness and source of information for the St Pete Times when they did their 1998 profile “The Man Behind Scientology” (I also note that the two other people Joe Childs and Tom Tobin were allowed to interview at the Int Base for that story were Marty Rathbun and me)… And is that why he fronted the band that played at almost every event you attended?

So, these are typical “big lies.”

Yet there is something else that is especially jarring about that first sentence. If you think about it, this is not just absurd, it is perhaps the most damning of statements he could possibly make. David Miscavige credits his choice to “pursue his life in the church” as “proof” that he had “no meaningful relationship” with his father. He actually asserts that being in the Sea Org destroys familial relationships. This is the “ecclesiastical leader of the scientology religion” speaking. Flatly stating that pursuing a life in the church destroyed any relationship with his father. Not what the church proclaims loudly and often “we put families together.”

And his statements is made even more astonishing in light of the fact that his father was ALSO IN THE SEA ORG and lived at the same Sea Org facility as his son. The vast majority of fathers do NOT live in the same “communal living facilities” as their sons. David Miscavige did. And even then, he STILL claims he had no meaningful relationship with his father.

* * * * * END EXCERPT * * * * *

Here's an interesting comment that was posted on Rinder's site, and his response to it. Quote:

Well, this is par for the course. They never seem to be able to complete a cycle of action.

Seriously, there are a few possible reasons:

1. The opening date was an unreal target to begin with — even though they were saying it would be done BEFORE March 13. High likelihood of this being true — no planning in scientology is ever realistic.

2. Miscavige heard Tony Ortega and some other SP’s were in town and decided to bail. He headed out to CST or CW or Telluride til the “threat” blow over. Relatively high probability of being true.

3. Miscavige is afraid to show his face in public in case some media find their way into his ribbon yanking as he knows everyone is going to be talking about “Ruthless” this weekend.

4. Miscavige is having second thoughts about trying to do a public PR event in the face of a shitstorm of negative media – if they get anyone interested in their “good news” it will immediately be tagged with “Ruthless” info. But this is almost too rational for him, so is I think the least likely possibility.

The combination of all four factors makes this a no-brainer from Miscavige’s perspective.

The father of controversial Scientology leader David Miscavige details his son's New Jersey childhood and indoctrination into and rise within the church in a new memoir and on "20/20" Friday night.

The book, out Tuesday, is called "Ruthless: Scientology, My Son David Miscavige, and Me," and as one might guess from the title, is not complimentary about the Miscavige's ascent in the church. Ron Miscavage, who left the church in 2012, says he decided to write the memoir only after his son ordered his sisters to break off contact with their father, a common Scientology practice.

David Miscavige has been criticized by former Scientology members for an abusive management style — actress Leah Remini left the church in 2013 in part because when she questioned the whereabouts of David Miscavige's wife Shelly, who hasn't been seen publicly in nearly a decade, she was subjected to church interrogations lasting as long as 12 hours. Other former members say Miscavige took over the church in a coup, when founder L. Ron Hubbard wanted the organization to be run by a committee after his death, which Scientology denies.

Attorneys for Scientology have reportedly threatened to sue the book's British publisher of what they termed "highly defamatory content," and David's two sisters released a statement to ABC in which they say that their father "beat our mother senseless in drunken tirades, averaging two violent attacks with his fists per week." Ron Miscavige tells ABC did physically abuse his wife and children, but not to that extent.

Hubbard said "what's true for you" . <---- Explain that Yingling
The cult does not heed the words of it's own creator.
What is true for these ex's are just lies according to the cult. Makes no sense according to their own doctrine